Month: December 2016

Job Interviews held in English (B2 level)

Recently I have finished my Delta Mod III paper and with it an article for Novice teachers: “Motivating Adult Students” that have been posted in two of my favourite blogs:

http://blogdisal.com.br/site/motivating-adult-students-beatriz-solino/

http://www.richmondshare.com.br/motivating-adult-students/

—

This lesson is about:

  • having job interviews held in English;
  • preparing your students for it;
  • having fun while doing it.

It was a pocket lesson (90′) and it was a hit.

[Slide 1: topic of the lesson + presentation image]

Topic:  Job interviews held in English 

interview-success

[Slide 2: introduction question + background image]

  1. Introducing the topic of the lesson 

Timing: 7′

Interaction: S-S (pairs)

Feedback: on vocabulary and pronunciation

  • If you could choose, what would be the best job for you?

best comapnies.jpg

[Slide 3: setting the scene questions + background image above]

  1. Setting the scene 

Timing: 10′

Interaction: S-S (pairs)

Feedback: on vocabulary/pronunciation and turn-taking

  • When was the last time you had a job interview?
  • How was it? (what was the language used, was it in person/via skype, etc)?
  • Do you tend to get too nervous when in an interview?

[Slide 4: working with a video + background image above]

Students might get emotional if watching this video for the first time (as well as teachers) so I suggest you to watch it more than once before using it in the lesson.

  1. Working with a video – step 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HB3xM93rXbY

Timing: 15′

Interaction: S-S (pairs)

Feedback: on vocabulary/pronunciation and turn-taking

Ss watch the video once and answer the following questions:

  1. What are the responsibilities and requirements needed?
  2. Has any of the applicants agreed to the requirements? Would you?
  3. What’s the job position the people in the video are applying for? (and this is the biggest surprise!)

[Slide 5: working with a video – step 2 + background image above]

Timing: 10′

Interaction: S-S (pairs)

Feedback: on vocabulary/pronunciation and turn-taking

Ss watch the video again and answer the discuss the following questions:

  1. Do you have to wear several hats where you work? 
  2. What are the interpersonal skills you think your current position asks you to have?

[Slide 6: working with another video – step 3 + background image below]

link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewek-6TudOM

the-internship

Timing: 10′

Interaction: S-S (pairs)

Feedback: on vocabulary/pronunciation and turn-taking

  • Watch this interview. What’s the question asked?
  • How would you answer that?

Here, ss can discuss how the interviews are being held these days, what questions are being asked, etc.

[Slide 7: Job interview questions + background image above – company logos]

Timing: 10′

Interaction: S-S (pairs)

Feedback: on vocabulary/pronunciation and turn-taking

[Slide 8: Job interview questions and how to answer them + background image above – company logos]

Timing: 20′

Interaction: S-S (pairs)

Feedback: on vocabulary/pronunciation and turn-taking

How to work with this step: choo-choo train, pairs then clapping to change pairs, mingling, role-playing.

Some of the questions might be:

  1. Tell us more about you
  2. Why should we hire you
  3. What is your greatest strength?
  4. What is your greatest weakness?
  5. Why do you want to work for us?
  6. Why did you leave your last job?
  7. What is your greatest accomplishment?
  8. Describe a difficult work situation and what you did to overcome it?
  9. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
  10. Do you have any questions for me?

[Slide 9: topic of the lesson + presentation image – first image]

Topic:  Job interviews held in English 

Timing: 5′

Interaction: S-S (pairs)

Go back to the topic of the lesson and the first image and ask ss if they feel more prepared to face a job interview now.

Discuss further vocabulary.

Thanks! 😉

 

Building a Life Plan (TED): A hands-on lesson

This is the second TED TALKS lesson I post here. The reason is that I simply loved planning lessons using the book: Dummett, P; Stephenson, H; Lansford, L. (2016). Ted Talks. Keynotes. Intermediate. National Geographic Learning. Cengage.

[Slide 1] Photo + The topic of the lesson + Question

  1. Setting the Scene

Topic: Building a Life Plan

– What were the highest and the lowest point of your life this year?

Interaction: S-S (pairs)

Timing: 5′

Feedback: on pronunciation and vocabulary

ted

[Slide 2] Photo + Title of the talk + question – when I use images as background I like to fade the images and use the questions in bold.

mark-bezos

Title: A life lesson from a volunteer firefighter 

2. Introducing the topic

  • What do you think this talk will be about? What makes you say that?

Interaction: S-S (pairs)

Timing: 7′

Feedback: on pronunciation and vocabulary

[Slide 3] Photo + text about the firefighter + questions 

3. Reading task + video task

Interaction: S (individually) when reading and S-S (pairs) when discussing the questions.

Timing: 10′

Feedback: on vocabulary

Teachers may work on the bold words pre-reading or after reading.

Ss will read the text first and then watch the talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAQfzHBpRsc

MARK BEZOS worked in advertising for many years and now works for a charity organisation, Robin Hood, which fights poverty in NY. He is also a volunteer firefighter in Westchester County, NY, where he lives. Firefighting is a highly respected job in the US. Mark is continuously amazed and motivated by the acts of heroism – big and small – that he sees every day. Mark’s idea worth spreading is that every act of generosity matters – even the small ones.

  • What job did he have before and what jobs does he have now?
  • How do people in the US feel about firefighters?
  • What motivates him?

[Slide 4] Photo + vocabulary + meaning to match.

4. Vocabulary work from video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAQfzHBpRsc

Interaction:  S-S (pairs) 

Timing: 15′

Feedback: on vocabulary and pronunciation

  • Firefighting is his vocation. He wanted to be a firefighter from the age 12.
  • He was jealous os his colleague’s new office.
  • She’s the homeowner – it’s her house and she’s lived there for 20 years.
  •  Poor people can get meals from a local soup kitchen.
  • In my job as a firefighter, I am witness to a lot of accidents.
  • When the firefighters arrived, the kitchen was in flames.
  • My mother is a retired doctor, but she still works as a volunteer in an old people’s hospital.

Match the meanings to the words:

  1. A place where food is served to people in need
  2. Someone who does a job for no pay
  3. A career that fits your aims in life
  4. Feel negative about something you want
  5. On fire
  6. A person who owns a house or flat
  7. Someone who sees an event

[Slide 5] Photo + vocabulary + questions.

5. Follow-up with vocabulary work from video.

Interaction:  S-S (pairs) 

Timing: 10′

Feedback: on vocabulary, pronunciation and turn-taking

  • Have you discovered what is your vocation?
  • What are you most jealous of (nowadays)?
  • Have you ever done any volunteer work? Have you worked in a soup kitchen?
  • What would you do if you saw a house or flat in flames?

[Slide 6] Photo + vocabulary + questions.

6. Re-entering the topic of the lesson

Interaction:  S-S (pairs) 

Timing: 10′

Feedback: on vocabulary turn-taking.

Here, the teacher encourages ss to use the new vocabulary.

Mark had the courage to completely change his life.

  • What about you?
  • What makes you keep going?
  • What would you like to do if not your current job?
  • If you could choose, what would you do instead?

[Slide 7] Photo + hands on activity.

7. Organising a presentation

Interaction:  S-S (pairs) 

Timing: 5′

Feedback: on pronunciaton

Ss watch the video again and pay attention to the presentation checklist below. After, they have to say what has been used:

  • Keep your ideas and language simple and straightforward.
  • avoid exaggerating your claims.
  • give plenty of concrete examples.
  • be personal.

[Slide 8] Photo + hands-on activity.

8. Hands-on task – topic of the lesson

Interaction:  S-S (pairs)  or trios.

Timing: 15′

Feedback: on vocabulary, turn-taking.

—

Here students will actually build a life changing plan. They can be in pairs or trios and they will follow the next steps:

You are about to change your life:

Brainstorming:

  • areas/job you would prefer to do
  • places in the world you would like to work/live
  • what motivates you to say or choose that

Action Plan:

  • presentation of your new choice of life and why you chose it.

Remember to use:

  • different examples
  • keep your story simple
  • Don’t worry if you are nervous/ relax your body
  • Use gestures and facial expressions

The presentation might take place at the beginning of the next lesson.

[Slide 9] 1st Photo + The topic of the lesson 

Topic: Building a Life Plan

A game lesson (Level B2-C1)

Since it is the end of the year and the term, I decided to have a Game Lesson. Jimmy Fallon is an American comedian, television host, actor, singer, writer, and producer. He is known for his work in television as a host of late-night talk show The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. He was commissioned to join NBC‘s Saturday Night Live as a cast member in 1998, fulfilling a lifelong dream and where he became well known for his emphasis on music and games. 

This lesson can be used as a REVIEW LESSON as well. 

[SLIDE 1 – topic of the lesson + introduction picture]

Topic: Password with Jimmy Fallon

jf

  1. Introducing the topic: Show ss this photo and the topic of the lesson and ask them:

Interaction: S-S (pairs) 

Timing: 10′

Feedback: on pronunciation and turn-taking

  • Have you ever watched this TV show? If so, what were your impressions about it? If not, would you like to? Why?
  • To what extent would you say his TV show has become viral? (Maybe you’ll have to re-visit the meaning of this word)
  • Have you ever played this game? If so, what are the rules?

 

2. Getting to know the rules of the game

Interaction: S (individually – to watch the video / and pairs to discuss the following questions)

Timing: 20′

Feedback: on vocabulary and turn-taking

Show ss the following picture and tell them:

  • You are going to watch part of the show in which they are playing a game called “Password” (that was originally created by Bob Stewart for Goodson-Todman Productions in 1961).
  • Pay attention to the rules of the games.

password-game

View the password game with Emma Thompson, Michael Cera and Jim Parsons on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hERzvxp5ab0  – the video takes 11 minutes.

  • What are the rules? What words have they used? Do you know all of them?

PASSWORDS: the words are kind of simple, but it is nice to review them. Also, ask them if they know the words used to reach the passwords.

  • Cruise
  • Nerd
  • Sausage
  • Sweater
  • Thong
  • Pot

3. Playing the game with lexis seen in the past lessons.

Here, you are going to use the vocabulary seen from a particular unit you would like to revise. Devise 15 minutes for this.

Interaction: S-S (pairs)

Timing: 15′

Feedback: on vocabulary and pronunciation

4. Using the vocabulary in context

Here you should create questions using the vocabulary from the previous step (like I have been doing in the other lessons).

Topic: Password with Jimmy Fallon